Another New Year. Another year of looking forward. Another year of trusting the Lord to take us through whatever we may face. Another year filled with ups and downs, highs and lows, joys and sorrows, smiles and tears.

As all of you readers are precious to me, this is my New Year’s prayer and blessing for each of you…

I pray health and peace will greet you and your family at every turn of the New Year. May blessings overtake you, as God’s servants Goodness and Mercy pursue you throughout the days to come.

May the Lord’s shadow of forgiveness be thrown over the disappointments and troubles of the year now closed, while His Light is cast as a beacon of guidance to His safe haven of the days yet to be explored.

May you lean more upon your Beloved’s breast to seek His presence, just to be near Him, than to seek His handouts.

May you know the presence of the great Immanuel, God with you, every second of every day.

May the answers to your prayers be swift and understood. May your obedience to the Holy Spirit be greater than the year closing.

May the Lord “make you have a surplus of prosperity” and “open to you His good treasury.” (Deut. 28:11a, 12a Amp) May He “bless you in all the work of your hands.” (Deut. 24:19b Amp)

May His eyes be upon your household from the beginning of the year until the end of the year. And may the sounds of joy fill every room of your house.

May you know your Beloved Lord better at the end of this new year than you did at the end of last year.

Each of you is a special instrument that is being fine-tuned for great service – to play beautiful music for the Master Conductor. You must first learn to be through much practice before you can learn to do that which He strikes at the cords of your heart to do for Him.

He uses only those instruments that are in tune with His great purposes. His harmony is the sweetest when played on the instruments that lay closest to His feet. And I know that you sit adoringly at His precious feet – in true devotion and affection, in true worship and praise. All will be well. He loves you.

“Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40 Ampc) This is my life’s verse that I share with you.

The New Year stretches out before us as the Land of Promise did before the Israelites.

Scripture tells us the Lord loves that Land, “The Lord your God cares for this land. His eyes watch over it from the beginning to the end of the year.” (Deut. 11:11b-12 NLV)

That Land of Promise is to us, the land where the Lord supplies the rain and sunshine, heat and cold, seeds and changing seasons, where the streams never are cut off or dry up, no matter if there is a drought or an earthquake or a violent storm.

However, God warned the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of the land, and you and I can take it to mean the same to us, “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.” (Num. 33:55 NKJV)

As you travel through this Land, be sure to drive out those fears and doubts and thoughts of bitterness and unforgiveness and all the others, for they will become squatters of harassment if you let them.

“But the land you are about to go into and take for your own is a land of hills and valleys.” (Deut. 11:11a NLV) Sometimes, they are lush, green hills of praise and thanksgiving, where you climb to their summits and take in those sweeping vistas, not necessarily as telescopic views into the future but as windows upon the present.

And sometimes, they are hills of struggle, of change and trial, where the rains of God’s grace and mercy fall and flow down into the valleys of need and heartache to produce fruitful valleys, and those rains continue into never-ending streams of guidance and comfort and love.

When a mount of circumstance rises up before you, do not be afraid to ascend that hill. You may be dismayed by its height and vastness but one step at a time will bring you to those heights of glory unknown before. And no matter how steep the way seems, keep your eyes on the way before you; your climb will be that much easier…

The Lord knows the way; He leads on gently. Not allowing more in your path than you can handle. Do not be disillusioned at the seeming darkness on your path; He will be your Light, your Guide, your Strength, your Peace, and your Comfort.

There are miles to cover this year, tests to take, new things to experience, gifts to discover, moments to breathe in, promises to possess, and sins to release.

May you go forth to possess each gift, each promise, and each day’s delivery of the Lord, to conquer each challenge you encounter, and to be the victor and not the victim of its confrontations. May your journey through the New Year be guided and protected and may it be filled with abundant blessings.

As all of you readers are precious to me, this is my New Year’s prayer and blessing for each of you…

I pray health and peace will greet you and your family at every turn of the New Year. May blessings overtake you, as God’s servants Goodness and Mercy pursue you throughout the days to come.

May the Lord’s shadow of forgiveness be thrown over the disappointments and troubles of the year now closed, while His Light is cast as a beacon of guidance to His safe haven of the days yet to be explored.

May you lean more upon your Beloved’s breast to seek His presence, just to be near Him, than to seek His handouts.

May you know the presence of the great Immanuel, God with you, every second of every day.

May the answers to your prayers be swift and understood. May your obedience to the Holy Spirit be greater than the year closing.

May His eyes be upon your household from the beginning of the year until the end of the year. And may the sounds of joy fill every room of your house.

May you know your Beloved Lord better at the end of this new year than you did at the end of last year.

Each of you is a special instrument that is being fine-tuned for great service – to play beautiful music for the Master Conductor. You must first learn to be through much practice before you can learn to do that which He strikes at the cords of your heart to do for Him.

He uses only those instruments that are in tune with His great purposes. His harmony is the sweetest when played on the instruments that lay closest to His feet. And I know that you sit adoringly at His precious feet – in true devotion and affection, in true worship and praise. All will be well. He loves you.

“Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40 AMPC)

New Year’s thoughts popped into my head, but you’ll never guess where they came from! Here’s what happened…

The Empty Cup and Coffee Part

I stare down at the coffee cup. As I lean over it, I can smell the aroma of coffee…it’s coming from the coffee pot just inches away. I can even taste it before it touches my tongue. My palate knows that familiar hazelnut flavor.

I pour some half and half in the empty cup and fill it with coffee to the brim. I add a little sugar to sweeten it. My thoughts spill over into the cup as well…

Lord, may I be an empty cup this year. Emptied of selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness, pride, whatever sin crowds my heart, leaving no room for You. May I be ready to receive the infilling of Your presence, Your love, joy, peace, and all the rest, for without it, I cannot overflow.

The Thumbprint Cookie Part

As I stand and stare at the filled cup, I hear a faint sound. Something is calling my name.

L-y-n-n!

It’s coming from the end of the kitchen counter. I move down.

L-y-n-n!

There it is again! It’s coming from…sure enough…the cookie tin!

I open the tin and, lo and behold, a thumbprint cookie is calling me. Well, you just can’t let a thumbprint cookie call your name and not respond. So I did…respond. He and one of his friends no longer live in the cookie tin. They went so well with the coffee!

As I was making the cookies this year, the dough didn’t turn out right. It was all crumbly. It wouldn’t even squeeze together to roll into balls. So, I stuck it in the refrigerator while I made macaroons with almonds and dried cranberries. Yum!

Afterward, I got the dough out of the refrigerator and tried again. Worse. So, I decided to add a little bit of half and half. Ahhh! Now, I could make them into what they were meant to be.

I finished rolling them into balls, dipping them in the egg white and pecans, and pressed in the obligatory indentation, the necessary well for filling with red currant jelly.

My thoughts overflowed again…

The Lord calls us, but if we do not respond, He sometimes sticks us in a situation for a while to transform us. And if that doesn’t work, He adds a little more cream of life, a little more love, to make us malleable and respond to His touch.

Lord, add to my life all that is necessary to make me malleable, that I may be transformed into what You desire me to be and filled with Your presence.

And the Movie Part

I so love Christmas movies, don’t you? I know one of most everyone’s favorites is It’s a Wonderful Life. I always love the part where the Martinis move into their new home and all their friends and family gather outside the front door.

George and Mary Bailey stand on the front porch to welcome the Martinis. Mary holds out a loaf of bread to Mrs. Martini and says, “Bread: that this house may never know hunger.” Next, she holds out a box of salt and says, “Salt: that life may always have flavor.”

George then hands a bottle of wine to Mr. Martini and says, “And wine: that joy and prosperity may reign forever.”

My thoughts go at it again…

Lord, as the salt of life, I will weaken and not be the flavoring I am supposed to be if I do not partake of You as the Bread of Life and the Wine of the Spirit. Be my joy and prosperity forever.

So there you have it. My thoughts and prayers for the New Year…from the strangest places!

My prayer for each of you: I pray each one of you will be an emptied cup, ready to be filled to overflowing with the love and peace of the Lord’s presence. And if you find yourself stuck in some situation, may your heart be malleable and respond to His call, and may your life be made into all it was meant to be.

I pray your home be blessed with the Bread, that you may be fed and Life may go on; with salt, that you may be the flavoring in the lives of others; and with the Wine of the Spirit, that your life may be filled with joy and prosperity throughout the New Year.

Did you make any resolutions this year? I never do. I know I won’t keep them. Have you already given up on carrying them out? We all need encouragement at one time or other but especially at the onset of a new year.

Since my last post was Empty from the Old Year? I thought I’d offer ten encouragements to inspire you to get a good grip on making improvements in your life this year. You already know these, but if you do them, all your other resolutions or goals should fall into place.

Here we go…

1) Gather up all the negative events of the year now closing: its sins, weaknesses, and failures; its heartaches and griefs. All that filled your year.

2) Lay them at the foot of the Throne. Turn your back on them and leave them all there.

3) Stand bravely at the threshold of this New Year and expect to see it filled with amazing surprises and God’s promises.

4) Walk through the portal of the New Year unburdened, forgiven, and free.

5) Walk arm in arm with your Beloved Lord into the unknown of each new day.

6) Walk wherever the light of His will, love, and protection guide you.

7) Spend time each day leaning upon the breast of your Beloved.

8) Share with Him all your heart’s desires and disappointments, all your joys and hurts, and He will share with you all His love, guidance, comfort, and peace.

9) “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Prov. 4:23 NLT) Guard against any influence that threatens to come between you and the Lord.

10) “Be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:19 NIV)

*And one extra: Crave the Lord’s will and be obedient to it.

**And most importantly: Praise the Lord no matter what! “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18 NLT)

May the Lord’s shadow of forgiveness conceal the disappointments and troubles of the year behind you, while His light is cast as a beacon of guidance to His safe haven of the days yet to be explored.

May His hand be against your enemy and His peace reign all your days. May His servants Goodness and Mercy pursue you throughout the New Year.

Sometimes, the year goes by so quickly that we feel like we zoom across the finish line as if we were in a race car…

Occasionally, the year has such a crushing effect on us that we crawl across it like Holland Reynolds…

Though each year may hold its share of trials or tragedies, we endure the hardships with the help of the Father. At times, we are broken and stumble in agony across the finish line as Derek Redmond (Olympics 1992), who was helped by his father…

Paul said, “What a wonderful God we have – He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials.” (2 Cor. 1:3 TLB)

Not only do we have a heavenly Father that comforts and strengthens us, we also have a heavenly host as our cheering section, as the writer of Hebrews tells us, “Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.” (Heb. 12:1 TLB)

No matter how the year now padlocked played out for you, the New Year offers you a new beginning. Whatever it brings your way, the Father will carry you through it all and bring a host of others to lift you up in prayer and encourage you in your walk.

My prayer for each of you: that your back be to the contrary circumstances of the year now closed, that your mind be firmly planted in the present, that your heart be guarded with the hope of a better new year, that your hands fulfill your calling, that your feet follow the Lord’s steps in all things, that your spirit be filled with faith, joy, and thanksgiving, that your life be filled with blessings, and that you will experience a new and special touch of the Lord’s presence upon all you do.

Hope…sometimes stuck in our finite brains as wishful thinking, as a “pie in the sky” kind of thing, but…

…hope is not wishful thinking!

What others say about hope…

*Love floods us with hope. ~Jareb Teague
*Hope is grief’s best music. ~Author Unknown
*Hope is the physician of each misery. ~Irish Proverb
*Once you choose hope, anything’s possible. ~Christopher Reeve
*Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier. ~Author Unknown
*When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you’re slamming the door in the face of God. ~Charles L. Allen
*You’ve gotta have hope. Without hope life is meaningless. Without hope life is meaning less and less. ~Author Unknown
*Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. ~Dale Carnegie

So, if hope is not wishful thinking, what is it? It is active participation in trust!

Scripture says, “And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.” (Rom. 5:4 TLB)

How does the dictionary define the word hope?

Whether as a noun or a verb, it describes ‘hope’ as the feeling or desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment, as that which is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best, a person or thing in which expectations are centered, to expect with confidence, to believe, trust, or rely, or to cherish a desire with anticipation.

How does the New Testament define hope? Two words are used…

*The first word is a noun, elpis, which means expectation whether of good or of ill, rarely in a bad sense, fear; in a good sense: expectation of good, hope; and in the Christian sense, joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation. It is always translated (in the KJ) as hope.

*The other NT word is a verb, elpizo, which comes from elpis, meaning to expect, confide, or trust. Many times in the KJ, it is translated as trust.

Of all the usages of the word hope in scripture, most are expressed by Paul. He sprinkled his letters and speeches with phrases of hope, such as:

“The God of hope” (Rom. 15:13) has authored our hope. And Jesus, as Paul said, is the one “on whom we have set our hope” (2 Cor. 1:10), “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).

Many are suffering great challenges right now, extreme health issues, deep financial troubles, devastating grief or loss, and the list goes on.

During dark times of adversity, hope keeps us spiritually alive. It brightens our paths and heightens our awareness of the Lord’s presence.

Have you misplaced your hope, instead placing it in your finances, job, family, possessions, or spouse? Or have you lost it altogether?

We cannot live without hope. Solomon said, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” (Prov. 13:12 NKJV)

We need to fortify the hope that God has placed within us. David tells us to “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Ps. 31:24 NKJV) Paul also encourages us, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Rom. 5:5 NKJV)

No matter what may transpire in my life, I will say as David said to the Lord, “But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more,” (Ps. 71:14 NKJV) and pray as he did, “Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” (Ps. 119:116 NKJV)

Will you be filled with hope this new year, no matter what?

May I pray for you? Father, I ask that You will touch the lives of those reading this and that You will bring renewed hope to reside in their hearts, giving them trust and strength to cling to You whatever may cross their paths in the new year. Fill their lives with health, peace, protection, prosperity, success, comfort, joy, love, and their hearts’ desires. In Jesus’ name I ask this…amen! So be it!

It’s a new year! Whether you have been thinking about making resolutions or goals or just mulling over the possibilities of the new year, you’ve probably done so to make 2015 a better year than the one closing.

There are many ways to improve in the days ahead. Get fit…whether mentally, physically, emotionally, financially, or spiritually. If you need help in some area, you can either hire someone or find someone to help you for free.

Of course, your greatest help is all those areas is the Lord. He will guide you, no matter what your need. He can also show you how to use what you have like David.

First Samuel 17 tells the story of David and Goliath. Verse 18 says, “When the [enemy] came forward to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the [enemy].” (Amp) And in meeting the enemy, David only needed One Rock to take down his enemy.

And so do you! When the enemy comes against you this year, the Lord will be with you, so let your battle cry be the same as David’s, “The battle is the Lord’s.” (1 Sam. 17:47 NKJV)

Make the most of each day and let the Lord fight for you, “because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:16 NKJV)

There are many different versions of the above verse, but the beginning of that verse in all versions exhorts us to make every minute count. Each one should spur us on to make the best of every moment…

“Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days.” Phillips

“So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!” Msg

Some versions say to redeem the time. The Greek word means to buy up, ransom, to rescue from loss (improve the opportunity).

I love that. Improve the opportunity. Use the opportunities presented to you to improve them. To bless someone else. To stand up for what is right. To smile at someone or give them hug. To give a word of encouragement. Or do as David did and be the victor over the enemy.

Don’t waste a moment. Do all you can do for the Lord and allow Him to do all He can do for you. Put all your moments in His hands and He will fight for you. He will be with you, just as He was with David…

***I always want to post what I believe the Lord is leading me to write and post, and at the right time. As I was praying and listening for the Lord’s leading for a New Year’s post, I had a couple of things in mind. But the Lord led me elsewhere. To a post from two years ago. I believe He wants this post to touch some very special hearts.

I am so thankful for all of you who read and subscribe to my posts. You mean a great deal to me and I pray the Lord will fill your New Year with whatever you need and bring great blessings into your lives. Be blessed outrageously, dear ones!

My dearest friend,

The Lord has placed it on my heart to write to you, to encourage and uplift you, and maybe even to inspire you to live your life a little closer to Him throughout the New Year.

Though you stand on the verge of this land of the unknown, you will find this year to be no different from the last, in the sense that life offers no smooth rides. Deuteronomy 11:11a says, “But the land you are about to go into and take for your own is a land of hills and valleys.” (NLV)

Hills and valleys will be present just as they were last year. They will supply an abundance of opportunities, interests, learning, joys, sorrows, and, yes, even testings and discipline.

However, dear one, take courage from God’s Word. Deuteronomy 11:12 says, “The Lord your God cares for this land. His eyes watch over it from the beginning to the end of the year.” (NLV) And so His eyes are upon the land of your journey, for He cares for it from the beginning to the end.

In your journey, you will encounter lush, green hills of the Lord; stand upon their summits and take in those sweeping vistas, not necessarily as telescopic views into the future but as windows upon the present, to give you a God’s-eye-view of your circumstances, of God’s working in your life.

Just over some of those fruitful mounts may be valley lows and wilderness days. You may feel blighted by the frost of relationships or swept away by the winds of adversity, but the Lord of the hills and valleys walks beside you through each one.

Not all valleys are parched, devoid of verdant beauty. Someone once said, “The hills collect the rain for a hundred fruitful valleys.” The land of your new year is cared for, watered from heaven and watched over by the eyes of the Creator, and He will make all your valleys fruitful.

How is this to be? As the Lord told Israel through Hosea, He says to you, “All your fruit comes from Me.” (Hosea 14:8b NLT) And Jesus reiterated that assertion, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.” (John 15:5 NKJV)

Abide in Him, my sweet friend, in this year’s journey, and you will be fruitful through all you undergo.

When you come upon a misty valley of uncertainty, depression, or unforgiveness, do not linger in there. You will miss the beautiful heights of glory just ahead.

When a mount of circumstance rises up before you, do not be afraid to ascend that hill. You may be dismayed by its height and vastness but one step at a time will bring you to those heights of glory unknown before. And no matter how steep the way seems, keep your eyes on the way before you; your climb will be that much easier.

The Lord will lead you gently through each day, each season, each circumstance. As Jacob said to Esau in concern for the herds and the children in their journey, so you can take this verse to your heart as from the Lord, “I will lead on slowly at a pace which…the children, are able to endure.” (Gen 33:14 NKJV)

The Lord knows the way; He leads on gently. Not allowing more in your path than you can handle. Do not be disillusioned at the seeming darkness on your path; He will be your Light, your Guide, your Strength, your Peace, and your Comfort.

There are miles to cover this year, tests to take, new things to experience, gifts to discover, moments to breathe in, promises to possess, and sins to release.

May you go forth to possess each gift, each promise, and each day’s delivery of the Lord, to conquer each challenge you encounter, and to be the victor and not the victim of its confrontations. May your journey through the New Year be guided and protected and may it be filled with abundant blessings.

Remember, He will watch over you from the beginning of the year…until the end.

The great Anglican cleric and Christian theologian John Wesley is credited, along with his brother Charles, with founding the Methodist movement in the 1700s.

In reading Wesley’s journal, one concludes that he never gave up. See what you think…

“Sunday morning, May 5, preached in St. Ann’s, was asked not to come back anymore.

Sunday p.m., May 5, preached at St. John’s, deacons said, “Get out and stay out.”

Sunday a.m., May 12, preached at St. Jude’s, can’t go back there either.

Sunday p.m., May 12, preached at St. George’s, kicked out again.

Sunday a.m., May 19, preached at St. somebody else’s, deacons called a special meeting and said I couldn’t return.

Sunday p.m., May 19, preached on the street, kicked off the street.

Sunday a.m., May 26, preached in meadow, chased out of meadow as a bull was turned loose during the services.

Sunday a.m., June 2, preached out at the edge of town, kicked off the highway.

Sunday p.m., June 2, afternoon service, preached in a pasture, 10,000 people came to hear me.

What would you have done?

Has the world knocked you down too many times this year? Feel like a failure? Never give up! Keep getting up, no matter how many times you feel like you’re looking up from the bottom.

It’s the almost the beginning of a new year. God is there, waiting with new beginnings. Will you stand bravely at the threshold of the unknown, ready, willing, and obedient to follow the Lord, no matter where He may lead?

When you get knocked down this in the new year, will you get up, brush yourself off, and keep going? Or will you lie in a puddle of self-pity?

May you learn from your failures and may they give you the boost to keep going. And may your New Year be filled with abundant blessings.